Gray's Got Soul

Why? In the foreword to The Souls of Your Feet, dancer and author Acia Gray asserts that the book is her "attempt to answer and share that question." Why dance? Why struggle? Why exist?

Souls doesn't answer these queries, but it does solve others: What's a Shorty George? Where can I find a portable tap mat? How do you do a Buck Time Step? Dense with information, Gray's book is a valuable addition to any tap dancer's library.

It does have its shortcomings. It is a little oddly composed and organized; the layout can be a hinderance, with subheads, bullet points, and guidebook notes inserted in the middle of the page.

But if you can overlook all of this, you will find that the book is an exceptional resource.

I read the book from cover to cover, and I would advise others to do the same. Focus on Reference Guide I: The Language of Tap to understand the terminology Gray uses and to make sure you have all of your components down. Skim to Reference Guide III: Rhythm and Music Structures, which discusses time and musical structure. An understanding of music is very important if you want to include improvisation in your repertoire.

The meat of the book comes in the five chapters on steps and combinations. From crawls to the Charleston, Gray introduces us to the components of modern tap, details variations, and suggests ways to elaborate on and combine them. She not only explains a basic riff walk, she takes us into 6-, 7-, and even 12-point figures. It can be difficult to parse out the notation, but if you are patient, you will be rewarded. Gray give annotated instructions, throwing in tidbits on history and personalities. It is perfect for reading on a train or at a table, where you can quietly figure out the steps with your feet.

Gray devotes an entire chapter to the Shim Sham Shimmy, very helpful for those of us who didn't learn it until relatively late in our dance careers. And the twenty-page appendix gives information on organizations, books, videos, and teachers. All in all, a lot of bang for your book buck.

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